The present invention is directed to a material dispenser and more particularly to a trigger actuated apparatus for dispensing material from a collapsible tube.
Collapsible tube containers have long been used for storing and dispensing products such as tooth paste, lotion, glue, caulk and the like. These tubes are awkward, unattractive, and wasteful.
Known to the art are several devices adapted for extruding material from a collapsible tube container. Crossley, U.S. Pat. No. 2,056,422, teaches a collapsible tube dispenser without a take up roller, a single pinch roller, and a rigid tube support that extends increasingly rearwardly as material is dispensed from a tube. Oliver, U.S. Pat. No. 2,357,351, teaches a collapsible tube dispenser without a take up roller, and a rigid tube support guide. Loria, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,097, teaches a collapsible tube dispenser utilizing a compression plate rather than pinch rollers to squeeze material from a tube. Joines, U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,836, teaches of an apparatus capable of extruding material from a non-collapsible tube. Finally, Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,510, teaches the use of a trigger activated screw for dispensing material from a non-collapsible tube.
These devices are complex, cumbersome, difficult to load, and have limited adaptability. Additionally, many of these device have protruding tube support guides, and lack a means for neatly storing fully collapsed portions of a tube.
Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for dispensing material from a collapsible tube.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing material from a collapsible tube whereby the tube is supported by a flexible support guide.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing material from a collapsible tube whereby the tube is rolled onto a take up roller as the tube is collapsed.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing material from a collapsible tube whereby the tube is passed through a pair of pinch rollers in order to extract material from the tube.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that is similar in appearance to a pistol or handgun.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that is easy to use.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that is capable of dispensing extrudable material in uniform incremental amounts.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that is inexpensive to manufacture.